Power Rangers RPM Generation Upgrade
by R Lynn
Summary: 28 years after the fall of Venjix. For unknown public reasons the city of Corinth was shut down and quarantined 5 years after the fall of Venjix. His body may have been destroyed but the virus lived on. Set free again, the next generation must stop him.
1. Transmission

Chapter One: Transmission

28 years after the destruction of Venjix…

_The current temperature is 78 degrees farenheit, with clear blue skies with a chance of rain late tomorrow evening. Wind to the south east at 10 miles per hour. Temperature dropping to 65 tonight still warm and comfortable. Roadways are looking good and no accidents to report at this time. The current time is 2:34pm, we'll be back with the next update at 3:05. Have a great day Triyon._

Trinity rolled over on her stomach and fiddled with the dial on the small portable radio sitting on the corner of her blanket. She turned it back and forth, the radio static and spliced seconds of songs and talk shows in between pauses as she went on searching. Pushing her sunglasses up and onto the top of her head she squinted at the tiny numbers. With pause came a new song and new boring newscast. Nothing was peaking her interest though.

It was yet another boring day in the City of Triyon. Another perfect and still dull frame of time that helped to compose Trinity's existence. Everyday was normally the same deal, and summer didn't make things any better. She was out of high school ready to start college in the fall, but it didn't quite matter. College would probably prove just as dull and embarrassing as high school. Not to mention Aaron wasn't attending the same school she was. Trinity had gotten into Triyon University while Aaron was currently a junior at the community college. He was going to take over his dad's business anyway; a college degree didn't really matter too much.

Trinity still wanted to go to college with her best friend. Thinking of Aaron in that moment Trinity wondered what he would be up to at this moment. Probably still working at his dad's auto shop where he had been slaving away practically all summer. Trinity sighed and gave trying to find a station she liked and decided to leave it in the middle where static and feedback rang through the airwaves.

"I give." she muttered rolling over on her back. She starred up at the sky, there weren't even clouds to stare at, just a blank canvas of blue. The feedback started to get worse to the point where Trinity couldn't handle it anymore. She reached behind her head and grabbed the radio. The noise blared causing Trinity to close her eyes and make a face of pain. Quickly she fumbled to turn the dial. Her hand hit the dial. "Stupid antique."

"Hello? Hello is anybody out there?"

Trinity froze and blinked. Her mouth hanging slightly open, her eyes glanced around the back yard thinking that her mother or aunt had called out to her. There was no one around. Trinity finally decided it had come from the radio. It must have been a station too far away that was barely coming in, some kind of talk show. She turned the dial slightly trying to tune it in better. There was something there some kind of voice.

"Hello…"

The white noise was too much and the dialogue wasn't coming in as clear as it had the first time. Maybe she shouldn't have messed with it. Still, Trinity tried to catch more of the male voice.

"Hello….assistance...Corinth…Dillon..."

Trinity nearly tossed the radio away from her like some kind of deadly snake. She starred wide-eyed at the thing; she had to be hearing things. It sounded like the voice said Dillon. It was impossible for it to be true. Literally impossible, and yet Trinity had heard the oddly familiar voice on the radio speak the name Dillon. A few more crackling unrecognizable words made their way through but Trinity had heard all she needed. Jumping up from the blanket she darted across the back yard not bothering to put her sandals back on. She tore through the house skidding to a halt in the living room where her mother and aunt sat.

"Trinity what on earth are you—"

"He's alive." she shouted above her mother.

Summer looked to Tenaya and then back to her daughter, concerned. She licked her lips and waited a moment to see if Trinity would say anything else. When she didn't speak Summer pulled a smile to her face and shook her head.

"What are you talking about, who's alive?" She asked.

Trinity drew in a breath, "Dad. He's alive. I heard him on the radio."

Summer sighed and stood up approaching Trinity. "On the radio?"

"My radio. I heard him he's in Corinth and he needs help."

"You must have been hearing things." Summer reached out for Trinity but she pulled back and moved around her mother. Trinity thought her mother would be happy to hear that her own husband was alive. She was treating Trinity like a child and didn't even look happy or tearfully surprised at all.

Tenaya sat up in her chair, "Your mother is right, it couldn't have been Dillon."

"Why aren't you happy? He was dead and now we have proof he's alive. I know it was his voice." Trinity said getting excited again. Then again how could she not? Summer continued to look at her daughter with a sad and knowing expression. Trinity looked back form her mother to her aunt.

"Dillon is gone, and he's not coming back Trinity. He left knowing he wouldn't be coming back." Summer said trying to calm trinity down. It was easy to gain false hope whenever the name Dillon was mentioned in town. Summer paused realizing what she had just said and the way she had worded everything.

"Left?" Trinity repeated. "What do you mean left, you told me he was killed. He's not really dead, he was never dead is that your getting at?"

"I meant to tell you one day." Summer said in a soft voice.

"When? When you were sure I'd forget about him anyway?"

It was chaos. Everything had turned to chaos. Trinity tried to quickly process the news that her father had left and not actually been killed. While getting over the issue that her mother had lied to her for the past 14 years, it wasn't exactly the worst news in the world. It meant that there was a better chance the voice on the radio was her fathers after all. She looked away from her mother even as Summer tried to explain, Trinity wouldn't hear it. The new hope began to build in her despite the anger toward her mother.

"He said he had something to do, something important and her left for Corinth. I knew he wouldn't come back and I had to tell you something." Summer explained on the bridge of tears.

"So you killed him off? Nevermind. It doesn't matter; this just means it was dad. The voice was him. And I'm going to find him." The decision was made on the spot as she spoke the words.

Summer and Tenaya both reacted to what Trinity had said, they started protesting their words beating off the others so Trinity could only make out a few similar words. No. Dangerous. Absolutely not. Trinity held her hands up as if trying to defend herself from the words batting at her at that moment. She tried to signal them to stop but they wouldn't take the hint.

"Just hold on a minute." Trinity said, she waited till they were both silent before continuing. "You won't do a thing to save him if you had the chance? Cause this is that chance mom. 14 years he's been gone. And know he's asking for assistance and you won't answer? And Aunt Tenaya, you can't honestly stand there and tell me you wouldn't rush off to save him if you could."

Tenaya starred with her blank eyes in another direction. A sad smirk crossed her face and she gave a nod. "I would save him. I owe him everything."

"Then let me go." Trinity begged.

Summer stood back looking at Trinity as if she had just slapped her across the face. What she had said more than stung, of course Summer would rush out to save Dillon in less than a heartbeat. She recovered from the shock after a minute and shook her head vigorously side to side. Trinity turned her head back to her mom her eyes searching for a reason behind her mother's stubbornness.

"No. It's not him Trinity. You were hearing things."

She starred her mother down hoping it would weaken the decision. After a minute her mother's cell rang. Summer reached into her pocket taking a deep breath to calm herself before answering.

"Hello? Oh, hello Mr. Turner. No absolutely nothing. Yes. I can be there shortly. Mmhmm, you too." Summer closed the phone and turned back to Trinity. "Mr. Turner needs me to go into the office for a few hours. I'll be back later; you'll stay here with your aunt won't you? Won't you Trinity?"

Trinity clenched her jaw and stormed off up the stairs and to her room. She couldn't remember being so angry in her life. Flopping down on her bed and grabbing a pillow, Tritiny placed it over her face and let out the loudest scream she could. It was muffled but it felt good to let her frustration out on something. She heard the distant sound of her mother getting into the car and pulling out of the drive-way. Removing the pillow and hugging it close to her Trinity starred angrily up at the ceiling.

"I'm not crazy. I know what I heard." she said convincing herself.

Trinity rolled over on her side and looked to the picture frame sitting on her side table. It was a single person in the middle of the frame, a picture of her father, his face starring out at her with a crooked smile and the eyes that were her eyes. Trinity slowly sat up and leaned over to pick up the picture. She held it for a minute smiling back at the practical stranger in the frame. She hardly had any clear-cut memories of her father. Trinity could recall the tone of his voice though; he used to sing her to bed every night. At least, Trinity liked to think it was every night. She couldn't be certain anymore. Her mother had said it was the truth, but after discovery downstairs minutes prior Trinity had to wonder what was real and what a fabricated memory by her mother.

A few minutes passed and Trinity had made another rash decision. She went over to her closest and pulled on a pair of her tennis shoes and a t-shirt over top of her tank top. Throwing the pair of sunglasses that were still on her head onto the dresser, Trinity pulled her long blonde hair back into a low ponytail and raced back down the stairs. Tenaya was sitting in the living room listening to music and trying to nap on the couch.

"Trinity is that you?" she asked when Trinity failed to sneak past her. Stupid creaky floor boards.

"Yea it's me. I'm going to walk over to Aarons. Is that alright?" she asked.

"You're not—"

"Going to Corinth?" Trinity finished with a scoff, she laughed. "No. I'm over that. Mom was right I must have been hearing things. I just wanted to see if Aaron wanted to grab some pizza after work. Is it alright if I go?"

Tenaya was silent in thought for a moment before she nodded form her spot on the couch. "Just be back before your mother gets home."

"I will." Trinity lied through her teeth. She left and charged down the street toward McAllistair Body Shop. It was only a two blocks away luckily, and being on the track team in high school meant this was just a simple jog to Trinity. She rounded the corner, darting her way around people on the sidewalk as she went. She ignored their stares. Finally she arrived slowing in her run as she approached the repair shop. On the lot was a beaten up piece of junk that Aaron liked to call his car. The hood was open and her was stuck underneath. What else did Trinity expect to find?

She huffed out a laugh drawing closer and hearing him singing some song to himself as he tinkered on his baby. Trinity stopped on the opposite side of the hood she watched him for a moment.

"Hey Aaron." she said in an overly sweet voice. She even rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet and dragged her hand on the side mirror.

Aaron stopped singing but didn't look up from what he was doing. "What do you want this time Trinity?" he asked in his thick Scottish accent, much like his fathers.

"Why do you assume I want something?" she asked using the same sweet voice.

"Because," Aaron said with a careful tone, "You always want something when you use that voice. Mostly its to use my car."

Trinity hesitated. He hit the nail right on the head. He was always good at figuring her out by now. She should have known better than to try and tip toe around the situation. It would have saved her even the slightest bit of time. She sighed looking at the top of Aaron's head.

"So where do you want go?" Aaron asked still enthralled with what was under the hood of his car.

"Corinth." she replied at a length. Trinity waited for Aaron's reaction, but didn't need to wait long.

His head popped up causing him to hit it on the top of the hood. He swore and rubbed the back of his standing up straight. Aaron starred across at Trinity baffled his mouth hung open slightly. She looked innocently back at him a cautious smile on her face.

"What?"

"You have heard of it haven't you?" Trinity said in a slight condescending tone.

Aaron glared at Trinity, "Of course I have Trin, and you know that. Who in this bloody world hasn't?" he pulled a towel from off his belt and began to wipe his hands clean of grease. As he did Aaron shook his head not bothering to keep a polite smile on his face. "What do you want to go there for anyway?"

"My dad. He's alive." she said shortly and with a composed expression. She tried not to betray her eagerness to get in the car and go or her growing frustration with the questions.

"Your dad?" Aaron stopped cleaning his hands for a second, "Alive? How do you know?"

Trinity could tell Aaron wasn't buying into the whole thing, she could see the doubt in his eyes and the undertone of his voice that mocked her. She messed with her hair for a second and glanced around to make sure no one else was looking.

"I heard him on the radio, look I know this sounds weird—"

"Weird? It sounds insane Trinity. He was on a talk show was he?" he interjected closing the hood. He rested his elbows on the roof and leaned forward. Aaron saw that Trinity wasn't trying to play a joke on him. Her face was too serious for that, and she never was good when it came to a lie. Her eyes always gave her away. But as Aaron looked into them he saw that Trinity was telling the truth and that she was even a little scared by it all.

Trinity tilted her head back in frustration. "Look I know what it sounds like Aaron, but you have to believe me. I was sitting in my backyard and I picked up a signal on the radio amongst the white noise, like a transmission or something. I heard a man's voice say something about needing assistance and Corinth, and then the name Dillon."

The two of them kept eye contact for a minute before Aaron tore away and turned back to picking up his tools and cleaning up the mess made. Trinity watched him and waited for Aaron to say something, anything.

"How do you know it was him, and not someone asking for Dillon?"

"I just know. He's my father for god-sake Aaron." Trinity groaned a hard edge to her voice.

Aaron didn't back down though. He kept firing questions and facts that Trinity probably failed to realize during her brilliant plan to just leave and go to Corinth. "He died when you 4 years old Trin how could you be sure what his voice sounded like? And you know that city is quarantined for a reason they don't even want to give us. Do you know how dangerous it's going to be? We don't know what we're going to find there. Have you thought about that Trinity? Have you thought about that at all?"

His badgering was grating her last nerve until Trinity final shouted out but quickly lowering her voice to a harsh whisper.

"I'm going Corinth with or without you, even if I have to walk all the way there. I will reach Corinth. I just thought it would be safer and easier to get there with your help. You're not stopping me Aaron, nothing you say will. I just want to know if my best friend has my back in this?"

Trinity finished by giving him a strong yet pleading look. She watched as the wheels began to turn in Aaron's head. She could tell he was actually thinking it over, contemplating it. Eventually he let out a heavy sigh and began walking around to the other side of the car pointing a finger at Trinity.

"You cheat. You can't keep playing the best friend card on me. One of these days your luck is going to run out." He said. Trinity smiled broadly at Aaron and flung her arms around him in a hug.

"Not if I keep counting cards." she joked in the hug. She felt Aaron laugh and hug her back. They broke apart.

"When do you want to go?" he asked folding her arms across his chest. As if he had to ask. Aaron knew what the answer was going to be, but he prayed for something different and a little less predictable.

"Now."

"Now?" Aaron scoffed. "Just pack up and go now?"

"You said you would help." Trinity's eyes narrowed on him.

Aaron rolled his eyes and glanced down at the ground, "Actually if you recall I didn't say anything of a sort. I implied it." seeing the angry look cross Trinity's face Aaron immediately changed his answer. "Fine, if we hurry we can get back by sunset. Dad will kill me for taking off like this."

Trinity's mood changed again and jumped up and down hugging Aaron around the neck one last time. She let go and opened the car door. "Is this thing safe to drive?"

Aaron made his way to the other side, "Hey," he said reproachfully. "This baby runs perfectly fine and is completely safe. I was just giving her a tune up. You came on a perfect day."

He buckled his seat belt turning his head to Trinity, as he started up the car. "Does your mom know about this?"

Trinity remained looking forward out the windshield, "No." she said in an even and cool voice. From he corner of her eye she saw the expression Aaron was giving her. She turned with a teasing smile.

"Come on Aaron, don't be such a wuss. " She chuckled.

Aaron furrowed his brows only slightly offended by the joking insult. "I'm not. I just don't need another person out to kill me when we get back is all. My father is more than enough."

As Aaron put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot, Trinity leaned back against the seat and rolled her head in his direction. She watched him drive a look of concentration and doubt on his face. The corners of her mouth pulled into a serious smile.

"Thank you for doing this Aaron. You don't know what this means."

Aaron let out a small laughing scoff and gave a nod keeping his eyes on the road. "I think I do know."


	2. The More the Merrier

Chapter Two: The More The Merrier

Trinity nervously drummed her fingers on her legs; the trip to Corinth was taking longer than she thought it would. Then again they had only been gone ten minutes and reached the city limits only two minutes ago. She glanced out the side mirror and watched as Triyon slowly grew smaller and smaller.

"Can you go faster?" she asked after another minute.

Aaron didn't reply he just stepped on the gas pedal and they sped off down the disserted road. He caught her nervous habit of finger drumming out of the corner of his eye.

"Nervous are we?" he asked. "Trinity, I hate to be a downer but have you even thought about how you're getting into Corinth? There are shields up around it, and the gates are locked."

Trinity remained positive and turned her head to Aaron, "Actually I was thinking about it. And I'm not sure how we're getting in but I know I'll know we'll think of something by the time we get there."

"We?" He laughed nervously, "I said I'd drive you I never said anything about actually going into the city. That is your job. I'm just the bus driver."

Trinity was ready to argue with Aaron but the scenery outside the window caught her attention more. She had never been outside of Triyon before. The buildings had given way to rolling hills and grass and a forest of trees and wild flowers. It was beautiful. It wasn't like Trinity has never seen a forest before, there was one in the city park, but this was something else. There was something about being free from the buildings that made Trinity view every little piece of nature differently. It would have to wait though; Trinity tore her eyes away from the passenger window and starred down at her lap.

She had to think of a way to get into Corinth. Maybe there was some kind of security tower she could break into and unlock the codes. Then again if there was a security tower that meant there were people guarding the city, which would prove more of challenge than the entry codes.

"Trin. You know I'm your friend right?"

"Of course." Trinity said dully resting her head on the back of the seat.

"Then can I tell you that this whole rescue mission is insane?"

Trinity smirked, "Sanity is relative."

Aaron blinked and looked away from the road for a moment, "Relative to what exactly?"

"It's an expression Aaron." Trinity sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "How much longer till we get there?"

"Soon enough." Aaron scoffed.

They fell silent. Trinity didn't want to speak her mind was too focused on the looming idea that she would be seeing her father after 14 years. It was an exciting prospect. Trinity felt butterflies in her stomach the more she thought about it. The two of them were silent for a few minutes before the sound of a sneeze broke through Trinity's thoughts.

"Bless you." Aaron and Trinity overlapped each other.

Trinity blinked and turned to look at Aaron, he glanced back at her.

"I didn't sneeze." she said.

"Me either."

Trinity unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to search the backseat. There was a blanket covering something rather lumpy. It appeared to be a pile junk at first glance but the blanket suddenly moved and Trinity tore it back to reveal a person beneath.

"Derek?" Trinity gaped. Aaron craned his neck to look at the back seat.

Derek Grover sat up from the back seat a look of defeat on his face, his cheeks slightly red in embarrassment. Nervously he laughed and gave a weak wave to Trinity.

"Hey Trinity, hey Aaron."

The breaks were applied with force causing Trinity to lose her balance and hit her head on the roof of the car. When they came to a stop she reached over and hit Aaron in the arm for the lack of a warning. He looked reproachfully at her and shrugged before turning his attention to the boy in his back seat.

"Derek what do you think you are doing? How did you get in here?" Trinity snapped.

Derek swallowed and stammered out his reply, "I came over to talk to Mr. McAllistair about my dad's car and when it would be ready. I heard you shouting about going to Corinth and I may have overhead a few other things as well and, I wanted to come along. So I go in the back when you two weren't looking."

He sulked in the back, feeling the daggers being starred at him that very moment. He was unwanted and an unwelcome guest. Trinity's look said it all. She was annoyed and shook her head sitting back in her seat.

"Come on, we better take him back." Aaron said readying to turn the steering wheel.

This didn't sit well with Trinity at all, "What? No we'll have to back track and it'll only take us longer to get to Corinth."

"What you propose I do, take him with us?" Aaron fought back.

Trinity glowered and set her jaw. "No."

"But I want to come." Derek tried to make himself known but the others ignored him and argued amongst themselves. He sat back and sighed letting them duel out his fate.

"He can walk." Trinity said after thinking for a moment.

Aaron did a double take at a loss for words, "I'm not kicking him out of the car to walk back to Triyon. We're going to have to take him back."

Derek launched forward in his seat he tapped them both on the shoulder. Trinity and Aaron whipped around.

"Come on I could be really useful. Let me come with you guys." He pleaded.

"You're too young." Trinity argued. She was using every excuse she could think of not to let Derek come along. It would just be more unnecessary people. She would have come herself if she had a car of her own to drive. That was the only reason she had asked Aaron to come along in the first place. Though she was glad he was with her.

"Am not." Derek said offended. "I'll be 16 in a month."

Aaron let out a laugh and rested his head on the wheel. "Give us one good reason why we should take you with us."

A smug grin stretched across Derek's face and he looked side to side at them both. He raised his head a little and with a serious tone he replied, "Because I have the codes to get you into Corinth."

Trinity searched Derek's face for a hint of a bluff. "You have the codes to Corinth? How?"

"I've hacked around my mom's computer before. I know the codes that will both lower the shields and get us into the city. People always say I have my mom's brain but dad's personality." he said smugly.

"Fortunately for us." Aaron added as a side comment. "But look Derek you can't—"

Before Aaron could finish Trinity cut him off, "You can come. But only because you have the codes, okay?"

This made Derek smile and Aaron ask what. Trinity rolled her eyes and ignored him; she flipped back around in her seat and re-buckled her seatbelt. It had to be fate; Derek was literally her key to getting into the city to save her father. Another branch of hope began to grow in Trinity. They would actually be able to do this now. Aaron watched Trinity hoping for further explanation but she went on ignoring him. He groaned and slammed his foot on the gas pedal. They were speeding off toward Corinth once again.

Derek sat forward in the back seat and stuck his head as far as he could between them. His boyish grin stretched ear to ear completely geeked that he was going with Trinity and Aaron. They were much older and never thought he would be able to hang out with them at any time. But here he was going on a rescue mission to Corinth.

"It's exciting isn't it?" he said bouncing in his seat as they came to the top of a hill at high speed. "I mean we're really breaking a lot of rules aren't we? This is going to be so fantastic. We're like our parents were, best friends. Partners in crime, or would it be justice? Cause we're saving your dad. How weird is it that he's still alive? He has a lot of birthday gifts to catch up on, I bet that's awesome."

"Derek?" Trinity asked after a minute trying to keep her patience.

"Yes Trinity?"

"Shut up."

Derek frowned, "Right. Sorry, I'm talking too much."

Silence fell over the car and no one spoke. It was obvious that Derek wanted to continue talking he was fidgeting in the back the whole time. Trinity and Aaron caught it out of the corner of their eyes. It made Trinity wonder how he could lay still in the back seat as long as he did. Her mind began to wander and she slowly felt her eyelids grow heavy and close.

Trinity imagined herself running into Corinth to find her dad waiting for her with open arms. She became emotional thinking about it. She couldn't wait until they arrived at Corinth. It wouldn't be too long now.

"What now?" Aaron growled. He gradually applied the breaks.

Trinity opened one eye and then other. They were coming to a stop right up next to an Eagle Squadron member. She glanced over to Aaron quick she pushed herself up a little in the seat and began to run things over in her head.

"Don't say a single thing about Corinth." she instructed.

The soldier got off his cycle removing his sunglasses and walking over to the driver's side. He leaned over as Aaron rolled down the window.

"James?" Aaron asked. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing Aaron." James said in a professional tone. He looked into the car his brow furrowing as he recognized Trinity and then Derek in the back seat.

"We were just out a drive. Having a bit of fun." Aaron kept his cool mostly based on the fact that they had all grown up around James. He was a year older than Aaron and for a while they were inseparable.

A look of amusements crossed his face and dancing on his lips was a cocky smile. "Out for a drive? You missed the last exit about three miles back. This road continues straight onto Corinth. Don't try to play dumb with me either, I know you know that."

As Aaron stammered and faltered for a response Trinity came up with a brilliant idea and jumped on it.

"We're going to Corinth." Trinity confirmed. Derek and Aaron both turned their heads in Trinity's direction with wide-eyed surprise.

"Can I ask why?" James waited for Trinity to explain.

With a calming breath Trinity moved on, "I picked up a transmission from my father. He's in Corinth and needs help. We were going there to save him."

There was a long drawn out pause. James starred at Trinity and the other silently as if debating whether or not she was telling the truth. His serious expression broke with a laugh. While Aaron and Derek looked disheartened that their friend did not believe them, Trinity remained calm not revealing any worry at all.

"You're father is alive? And he's in Corinth?" James repeated the information.

Trinity nodded. "I wouldn't lie about this James. He's there."

The smile faded. James regained his professional self and stood up straight for a minute.

"No one is allowed to go to the city, that's why we post a man on patrol out here. You know I'm going to have to call you three in." He sounded disappointed about the matter but obviously not disappointed enough that moment to decide to let them off with a warning.

"No you don't" Trinity said quickly.

"Trinity are you out of your mind?" Aaron asked in a harsh whisper. Her eyes darted to Aaron for a second to acknowledge his input but followed back over to James who was now bent over again to see into the car.

"Come on Trinity, you know I don't want to but I have to." He said shaking his head and reaching for his walkie.

"Come with us then. We could use someone who is skilled in fighting on our side. We don't know what will be there in the city, and we'll fare better with you by our side."

James scoffed, "I don't think so Trin."

James radioed for his father. There was a voice on the other end telling him to hold on. It was Trinity's last chance. Putting everything on the line she went for it. Putting on an act of disappointment she gave an exasperated sigh.

"That's too bad. If you were to come with us to Corinth you could help us save my father. Think of how your father, Coloniel Scott Truman would reward you if you were able to save his friend, his old companion, the same one that he fought with to defeat Venjix. If you were to rescue Dillon you'd be a hero. He might promote you to, I don't know, Eagle One."

Trinity glanced over at James. He was clearly thinking on everything Trinity had said. She could see the wheels turning in his head. Trinity worked hard not to smile. She knew how hard James was trying to work to get moved up to Eagle One. Right now he was sitting below what Trinity would guess to be an Eagle Three level. If this didn't work then Trinity didn't know what would. Sure enough when Scott's voice came over the radio, James blinked and looked down at it.

"Nevermind. False alarm." James spoke into it. He turned off the radio and looked to Aaron, Trinity and Derek in turn. "Tell, me how do you expect to get into Corinth?"

"That's where I come in." Derek couldn't help but speak up. He was still overjoyed to be coming along. The smirk on his face quivered a second, as he looked to Trinity afraid she might scold him for talking but she didn't do a thing.

James looked to Derek raising an eyebrow. "You Derek?"

"He has the codes to get into city." Trinity said. "But we're not allowed in there. You said so yourself. And it's too dangerous to go without someone to protect us."

"I'll go." James said debating no longer. He looked reluctant and yet eager at the same time, like the two were battling each other. Trinity let the smallest smile on her face. "I'll follow behind you three."

When they were on their way once more Aaron turned to spare a look at Trinity. He was in disbelief at what had just transpired back there. Scratching his chin Aaron smirked at her.

"You are truly evil, you know that?"

Trinity looked blankly back at him, "I honestly have no idea what you are talking about."

"And what happened to don't say a single thing about Corinth?" he pressed.

Trinity shrugged. "It slipped out."

Aaron shook his head. "Slipped out, yeah right." he muttered under his breath.

Derek chuckled and sat back putting his hands behind his head with a relieved and look of ease on his face.

"That was close wasn't it? That was smart, Trinity tricking him into coming along. It was kind of cool, but kind of scary at the same time. But at least now we won't have the Eagle Squadron on our tails. And if there is some crazed mutated monsters in Corinth at least we have James to fight them off. You think there will be food there, I didn't really have lunch and it's getting close to dinner. Think we could—"

"Derek." Aaron began working hard not to raise his voice, "If you keep running your mouth we're going to have a problem, a problem that involves Trinity literally throwing you out of the car. Could you please keep it quiet for a few more minutes, we're almost there."

Trinity stifled a laugh. She was glad that Aaron said it and not her. Trinity caught the sight of James on his cycle in the side mirror. She wondered if everything she spouted off would turn out to be true, if Scott would actually promote James for helping to rescue her father? Trinity didn't want to be completely full of crap, it sounded like a plausible scenario. They all would be rewarded wouldn't they? Then again it could back fire and each of them would get in serious trouble for going to Corinth in the first place.

"Trinity, look." Aaron nudged her left arm.

She looked up; there was Corinth as they came over the last hill. Trinity found herself holding her breath as they drove the last miles to reach it. Her father was just beyond the metal walls of the city. Trinity was certain she would soon see her father again for the first time in 14 years.


	3. Breaking & Entering

Chapter Three: Breaking & Entering

Getting out of the car Trinity craned her neck back to look at the surrounding walls. She had never seen Corinth before let alone being this close to it. The concept that her father was on the other side of the wall felt strange. She wanted him to be standing there waiting for her as soon as they opened the gates.

"Wait a minute!" Derek suddenly grabbed Trinity's arm and pulled her back away from the wall even though she was a good several yards away. She protested and yanked her arm out of his grasp.

"Look." Derek tossed a nearby stone a few feet from where Trinity stood. It hit an invisible barrier and exploded on contact sending fragments in every direction. "There's a special shield up outside the wall. To prevent anyone from getting inside." he said this like it was common knowledge and Trinity was stupid for not knowing.

She glared at him and looked over to Aaron who just whistled as he examined the area. His brows knitted together. "Hey, James." he called as James got off his bike to join them. "Why aren't their any guard towers or security around here?"

James said, "Like Derek said, there is a shield around the entire city, one to prevent anyone from entering. Guards aren't a necessity, not when this place is being monitored."

Trinity and Aaron whipped around and together they cried, "Monitored?"

James blinked confused, "I thought you knew that Dr. K monitors activity around the city."

"She what?" Trinity turned on Derek. He gulped and backed away his hands raised in defense.

"I was going to tell you." Derek said meekly. "It's not a problem though really." he looked at his watch. "I can jam the signal from here."

Aaron sighed. "Are you sure? There aren't any camera's or anything?"

"Oh there are camera's but they are never pulled up on the screen unless someone tries to break in or disrupt the shield." Derek said.

James groaned, "Like you just did?"

The color in Derek's face disappeared. Quickly he reached into the army green messenger bag he was carrying and pulled out a black laptop. He flipped it open and rested it on the hood on Aaron's car. He began clicking icons and frantically typing, Trinity couldn't keep up. After a minute he sighed.

"She's not there." he said. "She must have stepped out for a minute."

"Sheer dumb luck." Aaron murmured with a hard glare at Derek.

"Not to worry though." Derek said as he started talking a mile a minute. "Like I said I can jam the signal. I'll just release a virus to mom's computer that will just freeze everything and shut her equipment down. She won't loose any data so I won't get in a terrible amount of trouble. But she won't be able to see us getting into the city or be able to track who it was that lowered the shields. Though I suspect she'll figure it out seeing as how I think I'm the only other person who knows the codes. It won't last too long though; she'll be able to get the system up and running within a few hours. So we won't have long. But it'll be enough."

The others starred at Derek with baffled expressions as if they hadn't understood a single word he just said.

"You carry a laptop with you everywhere you go?" Aaron asked.

"Don't you?"

"Just hurry Derek before she comes back." Trinity said shrilly. It made him jump; he nodded and frantically began typing again.

"I thought you all had this planned out?" James said looking from the boy genius to the others.

Aaron rolled his eyes at Trinity, "Actually I think we're just making it up as we go."

"Why does that not reassure me." said James with a bit of nervous laughter. He was obviously having second thoughts about coming along with them to Corinth.

They waited in silence, Aaron biting his thumb nail as he watched over Derek's shoulder not really understanding the text and files on the screen. Derek glanced over his shoulder at Aaron in annoyance.

"Done. Her computer is successfully jammed. I am going to be in so much trouble when I get home." he grumbled.

"The shields are down?' Trinity asked skeptically her eyes scanning the perimeter.

"Uh, no. Not yet." Derek replied. He ignored the look from Trinity and continued about his business.

A few minutes later Derek spoke. "Alright, well here's the catch guys."

"Catch?" James repeated raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing comes without a catch." Derek shrugged. "Anyway, once I press enter the shields will lower and the gate will unlock itself. However, it'll take mom only a few hours to get her computer back up and running meaning we'll be detected once we go to leave the city. They'll know it was us."

Trinity didn't seem to bothered by this. She knew that by that time her mother would already know where she had disappeared to.

"Couldn't you block the signal again from inside?" Aaron asked more worried than Trinity and James.

Derek scratched his chin for a second in thought glancing over to the city. "I don't know for sure. I'm not sure I'll have the capability within the city itself, the shield is bound to return after mom gets the system up and running. I don't think I can hack to her computer from there. It might be blocked by the shield. Then again that's just a guess."

"It doesn't matter." Trinity said closing the conversation. They looked at her, she stared back. "I mean we'll make it out with my dad and it won't matter if they know we were here or not."

James didn't feel completely comforted by that. Trinity could see that he still felt uneasy about being here, she prayed that he wouldn't bail at the last chance and sell them out before they could even get into the city. He sighed and nodded.

"Push the button Derek." James sounded defeated, like he just lost a fighting battle. He watched Trinity from the corner of his eye. She just smiled at him and looked back to the shield.

Derek cracked his knuckles and then his neck. His right index finger danced above the black keyboard like a vulture circling it's pray. "Here we go."

At first nothing happened then there was a buzzing sound that pulsed out from the city. The ground shook for a few seconds and the buzzing stopped. Sounds of metal unlocking followed and with a great clicking thud the front gate to Corinth opened extending a the warmest welcome they would receive to enter the forbidden city.

They all glanced at each other in turn and then turned their main attention to the entrance and the road beyond it. A nervous smile played on Aaron's lips, like a mix between being scared and in awe. James kept a straight stare much like Trinity. However Trinity had a sense of divine fate in her eye, like she knew this was where she was supposed to be. Derek gulped and closed his laptop slipping it back into his bag.

"Who…who first?" Derek asked in a meek voice.

"What about quarantine? They had the city closed off for a reason. What if it's some kind of poison gas leek?" Aaron asked trying not to sound as nervous as he looked.

Trinity licked her lips, "I think if there was a gas it would have escaped by now and we'd be dead. But if you're still nervous just hold your breath."

Aaron didn't like the response he got. "I'm being serious Trinity."

"It's not gas leak." James said out of nowhere. "I don't know the exact reason why it was locked off and evacuated, but I've heard my dad talk and from what I could tell it wasn't because of a gas or a disease."

Derek let out a scoff, "Great, so it's just some unknown thing. That makes the butterflies go right away."

James shot Derek a look before stepping forward. "Are we going in or not? Trinity?"

She blinked as if coming out of a trance. "Right. Let's go. Nothing to be afraid of right? Just a city, let's find my father and leave."

Trinity slowly walked toward the entrance, she didn't hear anyone following her. Swallowing Trinity closed her eyes and stepped over the threshold. When nothing happened and the air smelled completely fine she reopened her eyes. Turning with a smile she beckoned the rest to join her. James was half-way there but Aaron and Derek were still close to the car. The two exchanged a look and nodded for the other to go first. Neither budged insisting the other go.

Trinity sighed, "Will you two get moving, we don't have all day."

Aaron groaned as he expected some kind of trap to be set off just for him as he placed his foot on the other side. Trinity shook her head.

"Don't be such a baby."

"I'm not a baby." Aaron growled.

Trinity took his hand and led him further in. She owed Aaron a lot for coming with her, she was glad to have him along. Derek heaved an over dramatic sigh and wiped imaginary sweat off his forehead. "That was easy."

"Almost too easy." James noted giving a cautious scan of their surroundings.

They were alone though, no signs of life in sight. It was eerie. So many buildings and skyscrapers and not a soul to occupy them. A ghost city, parts of the city crumbled from the neglect and most buildings were swamped with greenery. Mother nature worked hard to reclaim what she had lost, ivy climbed high on buildings. Trinity stretched her neck to gaze up at one of the skyscrapers. For some reason windows were shattered and there was sides of buildings blown to pieces like an explosion had occurred.

"I don't think there is anybody here." Derek said after they had walked about half a mile into the city.

"What happened here?" Aaron asked stepping over a piece of debris.

"What happened during the evacuation?" Trinity looked to James guessing he would be the one best suited to answer. Unfortunately James didn't respond looking just as baffled as the others.

"The weather system still works here." Derek mused. "That's why there is still plant life, growth and all that. So it rains here, I wonder why the system is still in the works?"

"What if there is something living here?" Aaron came to the conclusion, his eyes grew wide.

James paused mid-step paranoid by the idea put in his head by Aaron. Trinity rolled her eyes.

"There is, my father." she said, "Dad!"

James shushed her his finger to his lips. But he went ignored and Trinity continued to shout cupping her hands over her mouth to project her voice. This time James flung his hand cover to mouth.

"Trinity hold on." He said in a hushed voice as she struggled and shoved his hand off.

"He's right Trin. You said your dad said something about needing assistance. Did you ever think that he needed assistance because he was under attack from someone or something?" Aaron made a valid point.

Trinity thought for a moment. "But there is nothing here."

"That we've seen." Derek said running to catch up.

He placed himself between James and Aaron probably thinking they would protect him should anything happen. No bad odds. Aaron and James were both inches taller than Derek. Derek was tall for his age but he was built like any other scrawny 15 year old about to be 16.

"What do you think we should do?" Trinity ask. "Go back?"

And like some cruel joke the ground shook and the same buzzing and pulsing sound they heard outside radiated around them before dissipating leaving everything still and quiet. The gate was closed and locked and the shield had gone back up.

"I guess that answers that question." Derek commented.

James tried to reason with Trinity. He said, "Maybe we should go back anyway and bring reinforcements. I'm sure my dad would--"

"No!" Trinity snapped. "I'm here and I'm not leaving without my dad."

Spinning on the balls of her Trinity marched off her blonde hair bouncing behind her. Aaron let out a frustrated groan and followed. He gave a helpless look to James that seemed to read as if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em. Derek played with the strap of his bag before jogging after them.

"Great." James muttered. "You got yourself into this James."

**********

They walked for what seemed like hours but was really only about 40 minutes. Everything was the same though. No signs of life other than plant. There was destruction scattered as they went along. Trinity wasn't sure if it was from the evacuation or what Aaron had pondered, something dangerous lived here. She tried not to think of the negative only the positive of finding her father.

Another 20 minutes passed by with no luck. They hadn't even covered all of the city. Trinity found it fit to search practically every building they came upon. After the 15th one Aaron suggested heading for the radio station where Dillon was more likely to broadcast his message from. Trouble was none of them knew the city. Derek realized after they wandered aimlessly he might be able to pull up a file map of the city. Annoying as the kid was Trinity knew he was useful to have around.

"We need to head in that direction for about a mile and a half and we'll be there." he said.

That was the direction they headed.

Derek began spouting off meaningless information to them as they walked. He went on about how everything was still very much working in the city. He said it was a wonder that the electricity would still be up and going since no one lived here anymore. Derek used a bunch of technical and boring terms that made the others tune out about half a minute into the conversation.

"Huh, that's weird." Derek said tilting his head. "This is showing a life form other than us."

"That's amazing Derek." Aaron said with dull enthusiasm. Then he thought about what Derek had actually said and did a double take, "Wait, what did you say?"

He had everyone's attention now. Derek pointed to the computer screen. "You see those red dots right there? Well that's us. This red dot over here to the south just a half mile behind us, well that's not us."

James studied the screen watching the other dot move gradually. "What is it?"

Derek shook his head. "Can't say for sure. It's giving off heat though, that's why it shows up. See I programmed this like something I've been working on back home for Triyon. The computer sends out a signal and bounces back when it hits human body heat. Took me forever to try and do, mom helped a little."

"Does that mean--" Trinity didn't even finish her thought aloud. Instead she skipped off and ran in the opposite direction.

"Trinity!" Aaron charged after her.

"James hold on." Derek said grabbing his shirt sleeve. "I don't know if this is Dillon or not. It could be someone else."

"Derek you said it picked up only human body heat correct?" James asked in a hurry.

Derek nodded slowly, "Yeah, but the program could be messed up. I'm prone to mistakes. What if it's an animal or something worse?"

They shared a moment of heavy realization James swallowed and slapped Derek on the back.

"Then let's not stand here while they run toward whatever it is."

Gripping his laptop tight Derek bolted behind James silently praying it would be Dillon.

Trinity stopped to catch her breath while the other caught up. She took a breath and looked to Derek as he arrived.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a program like that?" she asked through gritted teeth. "Instead of sending us in the wrong direction? We probably could have found him right when we got here. Instead we wasted time!"

Trinity looked as if she would kill Derek had she had her breath back. He sulked and flushed a shade of bright red. "I forgot?"

"Forget it for now." Aaron gasped, 'Just where do we go next?"

"That's the thing, I'm not sure if we--"

"Where?" Trinity barked.

James gave her a cross look for being so bossy and mean to Derek. She caught the feeling of disapproval form James but trinity did her best to ignore not letting the guilt get to her.

"It's on the move." Derek panted. "A few blocks east it looks like. About four."

Trinity nodded and was off once more. Aaron cursed and as they ran in pursuit of the glowing red dot on Derek's computer screen.

Upon reaching their destination the four of them found they were standing in a garage. The walls were bare but there was an odd sense of familiarity to Trinity. She tried to picture the place full of parts and gear. There was a beat up looking pool table, the green cloth aged and partially moldy from the humidity probably. She ran her hand on the wooden edges. Then it clicked. There was a picture sitting in her living room up on the fireplace mantle, a group of people posing for a picture around the pool table; this pool table.

"Guys I think you should see this." Derek called.

Trinity took her attention away from the table and over to Derek. The other joined. They stood in the doorway of the next room. It opened into what had to be an old command center of sorts. There were broken computers along the walls, and a set of working one sin the middle. On the opposite wall were five different colored suits locked away perfectly preserved in class cases.

They stood in front of the cases and stared at them looking them over, every single detail. Each of them remained silent. The shot of gun broke through the perfect silence.

Trinity ducked covering her head even though she was sure the shot was not aimed at them. They all turned to see a person standing in the doorway. At first Trinity thought it was her father, for he looked much like him. The facial structure was similar to what Trinity had seen in pictures but there were a few things that didn't match, features that belonged to someone else. It wasn't Dillon though.

The man took aim his finger on the trigger of his odd tricked out gun. He sneered at them a cold deadly look upon his face. "State your name and purpose before I shoot. Believe me I will not hesitate if I think you are lying."


End file.
